Drug waivers for USMC higher than other services? Why?

[FlyinSpy]

OK, here's an interesting little factoid I hadn't seen before: Check out this chart, which shows which type of conduct waivers have been issued for different Service recruits over the last 5 years. Why do Marine recruits have 10x (!) the numbers of waivers for drugs as any other service? Are there really that many PFCs-to-be out there lighting up blunts, or is it just that the other Services aren't issuing many drug waivers? I find it hard to believe that given how hard up the Army is for warm bodies that they wouldn't be issuing the same sorts of drug waivers to the same cohort the Marines are, but I can't rule it out either.

Side question: If recruits do have a much higher incidence of drug use prior to entry, do enlisted Marines have higher rates of popping positive than troopers from other Services? It would seem like if one were true, then the other would be too.

Any recruiters out there with insight, or is this some kind of data anomaly?

 

[phrogpilot73]

I'd be willing to argue that other services might suggest to lie about it, so as to not require the waiver... Just a guess though, I've never been a recruiter.

 

[Spekkio]

OK, here's an interesting little factoid I hadn't seen before: Check out this chart, which shows which type of conduct waivers have been issued for different Service recruits over the last 5 years. Why do Marine recruits have 10x (!) the numbers of waivers for drugs as any other service? Are there really that many PFCs-to-be out there lighting up blunts, or is it just that the other Services aren't issuing many drug waivers? I find it hard to believe that given how hard up the Army is for warm bodies that they wouldn't be issuing the same sorts of drug waivers to the same cohort the Marines are, but I can't rule it out either.

Weed is a lot more popular than a lot of people like to acknowledge, and in my hometown area there was a big boom of cocaine usage over the past few years.

 

[Grnweenie23]

Someone please correct me if I am wrong but the Marine Corps requires a waiver of a recruit even if he/she has only done it once while the Army does not. This would of course greatly increase the amount of waivers the Marine Corps puts through the system since pot is so prevalent.

 

[Malice 1]

I don't know much about the issue, but I have to think the following:

Any young recruit or candidate MUST know that NOTHING good is gonna come of saying: "I used xxx drug."

Perhaps the Marine recruits have the moral courage to absolutley tell the truth at all times, vice thinking "I don't do xxx drug anymore, and I really want this job....so I'll tell the recruiter what he wants to hear."

 

[deloachth]

Up until recently, Oct 1st, the different services in the DOD were all using there own separate ways of reporting the waivers granted to recruits. The reason that the DOD changed to a new standardized way of reporting is because leaders were having such a problem tracking the different service's waivers. I wouldn't put too much stock in any report comparing different services prior to this change.

 

[Rocketman]

I'd be willing to argue that other services might suggest to lie about it, so as to not require the waiver... Just a guess though, I've never been a recruiter.

What Phrog said maybe. Never been a recriuter and never talked to another service before I enlisted so I don't know if this is true or not. It could be in some cases.

Malice 1 is on to something as well. Marine recruiting says MAYBE just MAYBE you can be one of us. The Army says PLEASE, PLEASE join us. Brilliant marketing from the USMC made even stronger by the fact that they believe it. I think it helps attract a different kind of person. Not bigger or stronger maybe but different for sure.

As corny as it sounds to the man on the street Duty, Honor and Corps is a real thing to most Marines. It's a part of the culture. It's pounded into your head in bootcamp of course but I think those basic ideals are probably already instilled in a lot of the kids before they join.

Maybe that has something to do with it. (Then again it may just be the Patron talking)

 

[HueyCobra8151]

I was at a local recruiting station on leave and this kid came in who was obviously a meth-head. They sent him to the Army recruiters down the hall.

A few days later they got a call from the Army recruiters thanking them for the kid and they had already gotten him contracted.

 

[Sam-Iyam]

Not surprising, I was both an enlisted recruiter and an Officer Selection recruiter, it is very common to just ask for the waiver on any hint of drug usage. I remember more most services in the '80's it was minimum use of 10 times, but in my district if the applicant even admitted once, we went in with a waiver.....also, the waivers were approved at the Recruiting Station level, usually by a Captain, so it was very easy.

 

[Gatordev]

I am glad to read it here.

Good bye.

 

[KC130FE]

I was a recruiter from 94-97. If the kid admits to 1-10X use of marijuana, it was an automatic RS CO's waiver. Anything more than 10Xs use or something stronger (coke, peyote, etc..) went to the District CO. If they did hallucinogens more than once they were done.

My kid is a recruiter in Seattle right now. Marine Corps is still requiring waivers for 1X use of pot. Meth is automatic DQ.

Someone wrote that the other services might be a little more leinent with the pot use. That was the case in the 90's. Might be different now.

 

[iceman87]

I have been talking to an OSO and he asked me the substance question. I felt obligated to tell the truth out of instinct because of the way I was raised. I have been wondering If I made a mistake. I am looking at Marine Corps Aviation pretty seriously but I feel like I shot myself in the foot right from the start. Is this put on some kind of permanent record?

 

[BarrettRC8]

I have been talking to an OSO and he asked me the substance question. I felt obligated to tell the truth out of instinct because of the way I was raised. I have been wondering If I made a mistake. I am looking at Marine Corps Aviation pretty seriously but I feel like I shot myself in the foot right from the start. Is this put on some kind of permanent record?

No, you'll find that integrity is a large component of being a Marine and an Officer. You did the right thing.

Nice name, btw.

 

[sodajones]

Hm yes, the Air Force is 100% drug free.

 

[vulcanx]

The thing is that Marines require the waiver for even 1x pot use.

Other services don't until it is something higher (5x for USAF, not sure of others).

So of course they will issue more waivers. Doesn't mean that other services are free of prior users.

I had to give a brief on this for Nav Sci class, so it may be outdated, but that is the gist of it.

You should see the waivers that Army gives out for felonies though ... rapes, manslaughter, grant theft auto, etc. (here: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/04/22/us/waiverlarge.jpg)